Partnerships


From left: Intergenerational arts project Magic Me; learning about the food cycle in a gardening project; en route to sing carols at Spitalfields Market


ERSHIP


Sue Wisbey Community investment manager at Allen & Overy


Why did A&O choose to support a school – and to do so in such a committed, longstanding way?


Q AWe’ve had partnerships with both primary and secondary schools


for more than 20 years. As a business we feel it’s important for us to play a part in helping young people reach their potential. We’ve always done community work, working with Christ Church since 2007 and another primary school in Tower Hamlets before that.


Q


What benefits has working with the school brought to


A&O employees? AAs a business, we’ve always felt that ‘giving back’ is important.


It helps our employees develop their professional skills. There’s a lot in the media at the moment about mental wellbeing, but this work helps staff feel good and gives them that positivity factor. If people step away from their desks for half an hour, they come back refreshed, having worked with people facing different challenges and met people they wouldn’t normally meet. It’s a combination of making staff feel good and developing their skills.


Q Q


International law firm llen  very has worked with a London primary school for over ten years. Heather Park asks what they each gain from the partnership


Which project has had the biggest effect on employees?


AOne that staff really enjoyed was a team challenge involving staff


from across the business, including IT, finance, reception, security and catering. We built Christmas nativity props and a stage for the school, drawing things such as animals and mangers and then carving them out of wood. It was fantastic fun and the volunteers discovered hidden talents. The props are something the school can use every year, so staff went away feeling like they’d really contributed.


What’s been your favourite project to organise?


AWe funded an intergenerational project with the charity Magic


Me. It involved murals that the children and artists helped to create, and they’re still on the walls of the school, meaning there’s a lasting reminder of the activities. The older people involved in the project continued to go back to the school and help with reading afterwards. We fund a lot of the extracurricular


activities and programmes for Christ Church. One of the most recent activities was teaching children circus skills. Then there’s The Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme, which


gives pupils an experience of university-style learning, with tutorials from a PhD-level tutor and trips to highly selective universities.


Q


Which projects do you think have had the greatest impact


on the school? AWe’re very proud to have recently funded the school’s development


of its new creative curriculum. This is a legacy that will enefit oth pupils and staff (who have received training in creative teaching skills). A colleague who has lots of


experience in coaching has held staff leadership training for Christ Church. He’s been going in for a couple of years, working with the head and senior leadership team to build their confidence and coaching skills. Its all been in his own time, and they’ve been really appreciative of that.


Q


What unexpected benefits have there been to your partnership?


AThe friendship over the years. I’m still in contact with the person


who was development manager before Emma. I get on well with Emma, the staff and the headteacher. It’s such a nice school, the kids are lovely and appreciative and we try to support them as best we can.


FundEd AUTUMN 2019 31


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